at one point, acknowledging that he still needs to learn more about the pentagon, telling the committee, quote, if confirmed, i intend to know a lot more than i do. those were his exact words, diane. >> it was a bruising day. thank you so much, jonathan karl. >>> and in alabama tonight, law enforcement officials are searching for enough wisdom to prevent a tragedy. a standoff is under way, a frightened 5-year-old boy held hostage in an underground bunker. his captor has a gun. so, what should police do next? abc's gio benitez is there. >> reporter: just beyond that line of trees, a 5-year-old boy named ethan is spending his third terrifying day in captivity. dozens of police and s.w.a.t. teams have the property in this tiny alabama town surrounded. hostage negotiators have been talking regularly to the kidnapper, 65-year-old jimmy lee dykes, through a ventilation pipe. >> it's an innocent kid. let him go back to his parents. he's crying for his parents and his grandparents and he does not know what's going on. >> reporter: police say the two are in a six by eight foot bunker four feet u